FOOD AND HYDRATION
When should I take energy gels while running?
Use gels for longer runs and practise the timing before race day
Gels are a convenient carbohydrate source for longer runs, not a requirement for every jog. Build a practiced fueling schedule around duration, carbohydrate per serving and stomach tolerance, rather than waiting until you feel depleted.
Think in carbohydrate, not packet count
The Australian Institute of Sport’s gel guidance places carbohydrate needs in the context of exercise duration. For endurance exercise around one to two-and-a-half hours, 30–60 grams per hour is a commonly used reference range. Longer events can require a more developed strategy and practice; do not jump to a high intake that your stomach has never tolerated.
Products contain different amounts of carbohydrate. A gel packet is a container, not a standardized unit. Read the label, including caffeine and instructions about water. Sports drinks and other foods also count toward the total.
Work through a two-hour example
| Item | Calculation | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Chosen practice intake | 40 g/hour × 2 hours | 80 g |
| A gel containing 20 g | 4 packets × 20 g | 80 g |
| If a drink also supplies 20 g | 60 g from gels + 20 g from drink | 80 g |
The example explains arithmetic, not your personal requirement. For the first option, taking one serving at 15, 45, 75 and 105 minutes spreads four servings across two hours. That is an illustrative schedule, not a rule: adjust the timing to the product, water access and a routine tested in training.
Rehearse the logistics
Carry the products where you can reach them. Check whether you can open the packaging with cold or sweaty hands, where the empty wrapper will go and whether you need water with that product. Small practical problems become more frustrating when you are tired.
Use a longer training run to test the routine, not an important race. Change one variable at a time if you experience discomfort. A different product, a larger intake and a faster pace introduced together make it difficult to learn what caused the problem.
Avoid waiting for a crisis
Fueling is easier to organize when it is planned before you become very tired. Waiting until your pace falls sharply gives you less room to manage the situation. At the same time, a slow split does not prove you need another gel: hills, pacing and heat can also explain it.
A short easy run often does not need carbohydrate during the activity. Using race products on every outing can add cost and complexity without answering a real need. Match the routine to the session rather than to what someone carries in a marathon video.
Review what you can actually observe
Compare long runs using the route, duration, available pace and effort data, and your own fueling notes. In Runome, look for how the activity unfolded instead of judging the entire fueling plan by the final average pace.
Use race splits to estimate where you may be on the course at a planned time, then check the organizer’s aid-station locations. This is planning support, not proof that a schedule is physiologically optimal. For fluid planning, read our hydration guide.